Originally known as City Kid, this blues-based, hard rock quintet were formed in Sacramento, California, USA. Named after the scientist Nikola Tesla, Jeff Keith (12 October 1958, Texarkana, Arkansas, USA; vocals), Tommy Skeoch (guitar/vocals), Frank Hannon (b. 1965, Los Angeles, California, USA; guitar/keyboards), Brian Wheat (bass/vocals) and Troy Luccketta (drums) came tog
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A product of the late 80s Los Angeles, California, USA club scene, hard rock band Warrant was formed in 1984 by guitarist Erik Turner (Eric Benjamin Turner, 31 March 1964, Omaha, Nebraska, USA). The early line-up of the band included Jerry Dixon (b. 15 September 1967, Pasadena, California, USA; bass), Adam Shore (vocals), Josh Lewis (b. Joshua Cohen, 15 October 1967, Chicago
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This melodic US AOR/hard rock act was formed by experienced session musicians Kip Winger (22 May 1961; bass, vocals) and Paul Taylor (keyboards, guitar) following their work together on Alice Cooper’s Constrictor tour. Enlisting lead guitarist Reb Beach and drummer Rod Morgenstein (ex-Dixie Dregs), the quartet chose the name Sahara, but were forced to change to Winger a
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This Los Angeles, USA heavy metal band was put together by vocalist Don Dokken (29 June 1953). His first break came when producer Dieter Dierks recruited him to supply (eventually unused) back-up vocals on the Scorpions’Blackout in 1982. Dierks then allowed Dokken the remaining studio time to produce demos. These rough recordings impressed Carrere Records enough to sec
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This Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA-based band was formed in 1983 by Tom Keifer (guitar/vocals), Eric Brittingham (bass) and Michael Kelly Smith (guitar) and Tony Destra (drums). The latter pair soon left to form Britny Fox, and it was a line-up comprising Keifer, Brittingham, Jeff LaBar (ex-White Foxx) and Jody Cortez that signed to PolyGram Records. The label acted on Jon Bo
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This heavy metal band was formed in Los Angeles, California, USA, by Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Robbin Crosby (4 August 1959, San Diego, California, USA, d. 6 June 2002, Los Angeles, California, USA; guitar), Warren DeMartini (guitar), Juan Croucier (bass), and Bobby ‘The Blotz’ Blotzer (drums). They evolved out of 70s band Mickey Ratt, transmuting into their present
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This US hard rock band was originally formed in 1983 by guitarist Tracii Guns (20 January 1966, USA), vocalist Axl Rose, bass player Ole Beich, and drummer Rob Gardner. Guns, Rose and Gardner subsequently appeared in the original line-up of Guns N’Roses, before Guns left to re-form his own band with Gardner, Beich and vocalist Michael Jagosz. The quartet recorded an EP
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When Vinnie Vincent’s Invasion disintegrated in 1988, vocalist Mark Slaughter and bass player Dana Strum decided to start a new group under the name Slaughter. Recruiting guitarist Tim Kelly (1963, d. 5 February 1998) and drummer Blas Elias, they soon secured a contract with Chrysalis Records and recorded Stick It To Ya. With an approach that fused elements of Kiss, M&o
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This US hard rock band was formed in Brooklyn, New York, during 1983, by Mike Tramp (Michael Trampenau, 14 January 1961, Copenhagen, Denmark; lead vocals, ex-Mabel) and Vito Bratta (b. 1 July 1961, Staten Island, New York, USA; guitar, ex-Dreamer). After a series of false starts, they signed to Elektra Records with Felix Robinson (bass, ex-Angel) and Nicki Capozzi (drums) co
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The mid-80s Los Angeles glam/sleaze scene that produced Guns N’Roses also saw the formation of Faster Pussycat in 1986, around vocalist Taime Downe and guitarist Mick Cripps - although Cripps later departed for L.A. Guns along with original bass player Kelly Nickels. Downe, formerly co-owner of LA club The Cathouse, recruited guitarists Brent Muscat and Greg Steele, bass
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Formed in 1989, the Damn Yankees were one of several supergroups, including Bad English, to emerge in the USA towards the end of the decade. ex-Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw had already been writing with the larger-than-life guitarist and solo artist Ted Nugent and they were soon joined by Jack Blades on bass and vocals (from the recently demised Night Ranger) and Michael
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This US heavy rock band was formed in Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1983 by Bret Michaels (Bret Michael Sychak, 15 March 1963, Butler, Pennsylvania, USA; vocals) and Rikki Rockett (b. Richard Allan Ream, 8 August 1961, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA; drums). They were soon joined by Bobby Dall (b. Robert Harry Kuykendall, 2 November 1958, Miami, Florida, USA; bass) and Ma
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